Third baseman Travis Shaw slugged the first two home runs of his major league career and had four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox overcame another shaky start from Joe Kelly in an 11-7 win over the Tampa...

THE UNITED STATES is more than a place; it is an idea, one that fills our hearts and minds with high hopes and great expectations. We are a nation capable of great and lasting achievements, and have always sought to hand off the baton to the next generation several strides ahead of the rest of the world.

Of late, this unbridled optimism has been challenged, resulting in a large majority of Americans believing our country is heading in the wrong direction. I am running to be your representative to put a stop to this wave of pessimism, to help turn this country around so our children and grandchildren can share in the same bright future that each generation of Americans has enjoyed.

If recent events have taught us anything, it is that our unique American spirit is alive and well. With proper leadership, we can marshal our passions into effective policies to bring about a prosperous future.

Having started and run two small businesses, served as the chief executive of the state’s largest city, and served you in the U.S. House of Representatives, I am uniquely qualified to serve your interests.

As mayor of Manchester, I oversaw a board comprised primarily of members from the opposite party. Even so, the city experienced impressive results. We passed the first tax cut in a decade, cut borrowing, balanced budgets and kept political affiliation checked at the door. We held true to our principles and solved problems by putting good government ahead of politics. During this time, Manchester was named one of the best cities to live and start a business. When I represented you in the House, Democrats controlled the Senate and the presidency. Though I served in the minority, I was successful bringing New Hampshire common sense to our nation’s capital. I introduced three pieces of legislation that were signed into law by President Obama, including one that cared for the final resting place of thousands of neglected American soldiers interred overseas.

We cut spending and consolidated hundreds of federal programs. We cut taxes for small businesses and individuals alike. I voted for more than 30 job bills, and sought to protect and preserve Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. I did not always agree with my colleagues, but I never gave up the fight to put your interests first. In many cases, we were able to successfully work together to solve national and regional issues like fixing our nation’s roads and protecting our struggling fishermen.

During my term in office, I never shied away from listening to and speaking with you. I held six job fairs, three manufacturing summits and an “Empower, Educate and Engage Women’s Conference,” along with 20 town halls and district discussions.

Unfortunately, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter leaves a great deal to be desired. She has proven herself to be inaccessible, ineffective and indifferent to our needs.

Consider the following.

Congresswoman Shea-Porter is inaccessible: To date, she has held zero town halls and no public forums.

Congresswoman Shea-Porter is ineffective: She voted for the stimulus bill, which failed to stimulate, while New Hampshire has fallen to the bottom half of the nation in economic competitiveness. Our border remains unsealed, scandals continue to plague the administration and yet she refuses to demand accountability.

Congresswoman Shea-Porter is indifferent: Even though our fishermen have been struggling under a poor management system, she voted against giving them the flexibility to create one that worked for them.

Even though many of the elected officials in her own city, from her own party, have pleaded with her to protect the communities from the EPA’s heavy-handed, ideological attack on the Great Bay Estuary, she won’t.

Even though our economy remains 5.7 million jobs behind pre-recession employment levels, she continues to support the President’s failed policies.

Even though she promised that if we liked our health care plan we could keep it, 22,000 Granite Staters lost their insurance.

Even though Obamacare excluded three hospitals from her district, she continues to support it.

And even though a majority of New Hampshire opposes Obamacare, she is committed to this top-down, government run approach.

I remain confident that America’s best days lie ahead. We can turn our economy around, grow the middle class and make government accountable if we elect leaders offering pragmatic solutions, who are unafraid to stand up for what is right.

I hope to earn your vote on Sept. 9.

Frank Guinta of Manchester is a former member of Congress in the 1st District.